topic Keeping it Real... in Fashion

Keeping it Real...

MacDuFF — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 05:38:47 GMT

A few months ago, I stumbled across photos on a street style site of women in my age group (70...ish 😁) and was pleasantly surprised at how "real" they looked.

I mean, how often do you see unfiltered close-ups of older women...women like me, for example...with laugh lines, wrinkles, 11's on their foreheads, disappearing jowls, sagging necks, receding hairlines, bags under their eyes, uneven teeth that aren't blinding white chiclets, and no botoxed lips or frozen faces?!? It was almost like catching a glimpse of a nearly extinct species, the invisible older woman.

These beautiful women are keeping it real...

#1

#2

#3

#4(a) Boss Lady...don't mess with her!

#4(b)

#5

#6(a)

#6(b)

#7 I'm going with quirky thrifter in Rotterdam 😂

#8

#9 I bet she's a lot of fun

#10

#11(a)

#11(b)

#12 I want to be her! LOVE the outfit.

#13

#14 Off to the opera.

#15

#16(a)

#16(b)

#17

#18(a) Love the vintage outfit

#18(b) You go girl!!

So, ladies, I say we smile even though our teeth aren't perfect, we muster up some joie de vivre and let it shine, we flip the bird to plastic surgery and botox, we buy the red lipstick, we hold our gray thinning hair heads up high, and we wear what we da## well please! Who's with me?

Re: Keeping it Real...

Queen of shop — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 06:28:26 GMT

I'm with you!! @MacDuFF . I think they all look great. All their faces have character.

I've always loved the faces of Diana Vreeland and Iris Apfel and the stunning older model Carmen. They all rock. Strong women.

Re: Keeping it Real...

persiflage — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 07:07:06 GMT

Carmen is one of my all time faves, love the glam!

While looking at your pics many thoughts went through my mind:

Gilligan!

Did Dr. Ruth have a demure sister?

Mrs. Roper no longer wears caftans....

So that's what Mrs. Claus wears the rest of the year.

Morticia Adams is a gray haired sister!

Re: Keeping it Real...

BlueFinch — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 07:17:44 GMT

I love them all. They're having fun with fashion and putting themselves out there for all to see. Well done.

These powerful ladies are proving that getting older doesn't mean we should hide out from life and the joys it can bring -- at ALL ages.

Re: Keeping it Real...

Spacrazy — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 08:04:14 GMT

@MacDuFF : Love these lovely ladies... they are beautiful ~ each and every one.

Re: Keeping it Real...

AngelPuppy1 — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 09:57:39 GMT

Oh, thank you! That was lovely! So great to see all these beauties celebrating themselves and celebrating life! This is so refreshing to see these real women. They still care about what they look like but they are embracing themselves for what they currently are. They all have a twinkle in their eyes and their own particular style that seems to say -- Here I am and proud of it! I am in this age group, too, and I admit that I don't always embrace the aging process and don't always feel positive about it. Your post has been very encouraging to me!

Re: Keeping it Real...

on the bay — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 10:05:48 GMT

To me, I just think so much emphasis is put on how someone looks,

whether having surgery or cosmetic procedures or none;

having fun with fashion or never very interested;

always obtaining or interested in make-up or skin care, or has other things they are concerned with or interested in.

I have always felt that to me a person's character is what can be beautiful. I see in these women perhaps a grandmother so loved by her grandkids or children or friends,

or someone who has contributed much perhaps to a career or just giving time to others; maybe who has endured much and come out still grateful.

I admire women who always look put together but also admire women who don't just because they offer beauty in other ways then how they look. Both can have something much more than what they look like. And to me that is what is most important-what they have in themselves and give to others.

Some of the women I admired the most-my mother who always looked elegant and was proud of how she dressed and looked but also was so beautiful to me no matter how she looked because of how she loved.

One of my neighbors who had dementia after several mini strokes and an accident but still had humor and spirit and the kindest heart.

She would tell the same stories over and over but I loved to hear them over and over.She always wore an old red coat even in the summer because she

couldn't stand to wear a bra.

And a friend from church who was another of my idols in life-she was always dressed to the nines-her hair, the latest shoes always colorful, her nails always done in a bright color. She was in her eighties, very petite and I always wanted to sit with her. She would call me and became someone I will always be grateful to have loved and known.

When she came in and sat down, everyone came up to give her a hug from the littlest person only 4 years old to the oldest. Everyone called her friend because of her caring and love and making each person feel like they were the most important and loved person and they really were to her.

When I think of Mother Teresa, another example. And yes Iris Apfel, who showed you can go to the beat of your own drum and love it. One who probably never thought much of how she looked but will be remembered as an example of love for and giving for years and the other who loved fashion and used it to make her own gorgeous statement to herself and the world. So many probably wishing they could know her and how she felt about herself and life.

So many have an inside that can and does shine right through whatever they are wearing or look like. I enjoy looking at fashions and make-up too but I like to think of what makes a person beautiful in how they think and treat everyone and everything, or interesting, or full of life, and how to love others the most of all.

Re: Keeping it Real...

vermint — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 10:46:37 GMT

@MacDuFF THANK YOU for posting these photos! All women are gorgeous in their own way--I just wish we would all realize that.

Re: Keeping it Real...

I am still oxox — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:00:08 GMT

Love the women that have given up the hair color and let their grey flag fly. I kind of think bright red hair at 75 looks kind of silly but it is their choice, afterall

Re: Keeping it Real...

Shanus — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:33:21 GMT

@persiflage I'm fairly sure that Carmen has had surgery, Being a famous model, she needs to look younger for the camera

Re: Keeping it Real...

annie57 — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:35:22 GMT

@MacDuFF Thank you for these beautiful pictures of women who have and are living their best lives. They are all an inspiration! At sixty-six I look at my wrinkles and lines and tell myself I have earned every one. I think there is something to be said for "aging gracefully".

Re: Keeping it Real...

Shanus — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:36:23 GMT

Over 50, 60, 70 and more. All fabulous!!!

Re: Keeping it Real...

Love to Run — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 12:02:50 GMT

Now this is fashion! I love street style and individual expression at any age.

Re: Keeping it Real...

QVCkitty1 — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 12:03:37 GMT

How about letting grown women be and look how it suits them ? Go gray or color, smile or don't smile, surgery or natural? Who cares ? Let women live their life and stop judging !

Re: Keeping it Real...

Imaoldhippie — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 12:08:44 GMT

My kind of women I would love to have each one as my friend. I bet they are fun yet very wise. They all look fantastic!

Re: Keeping it Real...

GinaV24 — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 12:21:36 GMT

Thanks for sharing those photos @MacDuFF I think they are great. Each one with their own unique style and having fun!

I'm smiling at the ladies wearing hats. I know I've said it before but I love wearing hats. In the winter I often have to opt for a "warm" knit style hat but if the weather is good and not too cold, I do have other winter hats that have more style.

Last weekend for church, the sun was out and I decided to channel my inner Jackie O and wore my leopard print pillbox that I bought too many years ago to count! I realize that hats, other than a sun hat or baseball cap, are often unusual to see so it gives me joy to see others wearing their hats.

Re: Keeping it Real...

PINKdogWOOD — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 12:32:11 GMT

@MacDuFF Women of a certain age, this would be our 70s now. Look at how stunning these women have lived their lives to be as great and as lovely as they down deep inside would grow.

Their fashion sense is also great as we've aged through the years seeing so many trends, lived them, loved them, wore them, As I think back of the crazy styles bought by us, stashed in our closets, kept some for decades, we've watched so many of them coming, going, and back around they are again! Some I still wear, some you'd never find on me ever again!!!!

I am this woman of the 70 of whom you speak Ms Mac (I also hope you're not offended by my calling you this). While we may not be a fashion designer per se, we certainly DO know our fashion sense.

Yes I too am a woman of the 70s as I am turning the page on gaining another fine year turning 71 TOMORROW! I am as fashion-conscious today as I was when I was 12!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Keeping it Real...

chrystaltree — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:26:31 GMT

What point are you trying to make? That's how pretty much all women in their 70s through 90s look. Yes, the celebs and movie stars and wealthy women use cosmetic procedures, cosmetic surgeries, makeup artists, filters and professional photographers. Do you think Martha Stewart looks like that when she wakes up in the morning? It took a team working many hours to get that beach picture. But real women. Our friends, neighbors look like these pictures when they put in the work to be the best version of themselves. The vast majority of older women don't use filters. Makeup and maybe some injected fillers for very deep lines are as far as they go. I'm 64 and I've come to resent it when some tells me I "don't look 64". Just a few days ago I asked someone what 64 was supposed to look like. She's 40. She just stared at me because she thought she'd complimented me. I'm enjoying the Fifty years and Fabulous Facebook group. Most post pictures when they introduce themselves. It's like making new friends but there is now a small group that is obsessed with the idea some are using filters and they are. I don't see anything wrong with that. Just as I don't see anything wrong with the makeup, wigs, jewelry, clothing etc. I want to see where the group goes. It's up to 10K women already.

Re: Keeping it Real...

Dusty1 — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:32:07 GMT

How about letting grown women be and look how it suits them ? Go gray or color, smile or don't smile, surgery or natural? Who cares ? Let women live their life and stop judging !

@QVCkitty1 People will judge.

It is more about US choosing to not worry about that.

WE choose to live our lives how we want to & those that don't like that get to choose to sit there & feel smug because they are "thinner, taller, better dressed, etc" while we are laughing, dancing, singing & wearing comfortable shoes!

Re: Keeping it Real...

QVCkitty1 — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:43:18 GMT

@Dusty1 wrote:
How about letting grown women be and look how it suits them ? Go gray or color, smile or don't smile, surgery or natural? Who cares ? Let women live their life and stop judging !

@QVCkitty1 People will judge.
It is more about US choosing to not worry about that.
WE choose to live our lives how we want to & those that don't like that get to choose to sit there & feel smug because they are "thinner, taller, better dressed, etc" while we are laughing, dancing, singing & wearing comfortable shoes!

@Dusty1 The smug attitude goes both ways. People who go gray always manage to try and sound morally superior .